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A sharp spike in fruit prices has gripped parts of Pakistan following the closure of the Afghanistan border, leaving low-income households struggling to afford even basic produce. With supply routes disrupted and local markets running dry, fruit vendors say the crisis has exposed not only the country's heavy dependence on Afghan imports but also deep governance failures that allow profiteering to flourish.
According to vendors, the situation worsened rapidly after the border was sealed. They explain that a significant share of the region's fruit supply traditionally enters Pakistan from Afghanistan. Once the border shut, trucks stopped arriving and the markets were "empty." As a result, prices doubled almost overnight. Items previously sold for PKR 2,000 now cost between PKR 4,000 and PKR 5,000, pushing essential fruit far beyond the reach of ordinary citizens. While small quantities of local produce, such as Quetta apples, are still available, vendors say these remain insufficient to meet market demand. The scarcity has created an environment where those holding leftover stocks are selling at inflated rates. According to the sellers, the situation has opened the door for a "black mafia" to manipulate prices, taking advantage of weak market oversight. The vendors also criticised local administration officials, Commissioners, ACs, and DCs, accusing them of failing to visit markets or enforce price lists. They allege that officials remain confined to their "cars worth crores," while ordinary traders bear the brunt of a collapsing market. If authorities conducted routine inspections, they argue, artificial inflation could be curbed and vendors would be unable to overcharge. Citizens, especially daily-wage earners, are now forced to cut fruit from their diets altogether. Many families who once bought modest quantities of fruit for their children can no longer afford even a kilogram. Vendors urge the government to either reopen the Afghan border or import fruit from Iran or other regions to stabilise prices. With inflation already eroding purchasing power nationwide, the ongoing supply crisis has turned fruits once an accessible part of everyday life into a luxury item for the poor. Vendors warn that unless the government intervenes swiftly, market exploitation and public hardship will only intensify. (ANI)
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